Making Italian Bread

Firstly, I would like to thank the following for giving me the inspiration to try this. You can find their complete recipes and more on their sites... cookography.com (there is also a handy diagram on how to fold the dough here) and amysbread.com

Okay, now let's have some fun...

Making a Biga

First off, I guess I should explain just what a Biga is. When making traditional Italian bread, the biga acts as a starter and is added to your regular dough recipe. It not only enhances the flavor, but it also affects the texture by giving the bread a lighter texture and giving it bigger holes (instead of the much smaller holes found in other breads). I need to note here that this is not a classic biga, which is taken from the unsalted dough of the bread you would have made previously and Thus can be a subject for another article.

Choosing a Spice Rack

Ever since I started cooking, it seems as if I have been fighting an endless battle. I cannot count the number of times that I will be in the middle of making a dish and I stop to open the door to the pantry and begin a frantic search for an herb or spice. You may ask why I don't just get everything together before I start cooking? Well, when I bake, I line everything up first and then systematically work my way through the recipe, but when I cook, it is no-holds barred. You see, when I cook I very rarely follow a recipe; I like to improvise and experiment with different flavors. This being the case, I usually don't know what herb or spice I will use when I begin cooking. Thus, the battle continues.